Snack Shop Planned For Downtown

624 N. Water St. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

A new Milwaukee snack shop will showcase the kind of over-the-top creations generally reserved for the privacy of late nights in our own kitchens. Mini pancakes with unlimited toppings, jumbo pretzels with cheese sauce and a comically large 10-scoop ice cream sundae are all on the menu at Jr’s Treats, which is set to open by the end of 2024.

When Nerilyn Cruz-Colon first launched the business, it was meant to be a side hobby—bringing in a little extra cash and spreading joy to friends and family through one of her favorite pastimes.

But as demand grew, so did Jr’s Treats. Now, at just 24 years old, Cruz-Colon is gearing up to open her first brick-and-mortar storefront in the heart of Downtown, at 624 N. Water St.

While the business’s location is changing, its name—honoring Cruz-Colon’s son—and its core mission will stay the same.

“I thought about changing it for Downtown. I just kept going back and forth on names, but honestly, it just didn’t feel right,” she said. “He’s my one and only baby — everything I do, I do for him.”

She said she hopes to extend that warmth to her future customers. “I just want other people and other families to enjoy that same experience, that love I put into doing what I do, and I want everybody else to just be welcomed into it as well.”

Despite her young age, Cruz-Colon brings years of experience to the new venture, having entered the industry as a server at Landmark Family Restaurant as soon as she was legally allowed.

“I’ve been waitressing pretty much my whole life, since I’ve been able to start working,” she said.

The role helped familiarize her with both the public-facing and business sides of restaurants, providing valuable expertise for her upcoming project. And she’s eager to get started.

“When I got the opportunity to lease the location Downtown, I said, ‘Let’s do it. Let’s make it happen. Let’s bring something new to the community.'”

A proposed menu for Jr’s Treats features ice cream by the scoop, ice cream nachos and a shareable sundae designed for up to six diners—all customizable with toppings such as fresh fruit, chocolate chunks and caramel drizzle. The snack shop will also offer mini pancakes, available in servings of 15 or a shareable platter of 50, finished with syrup and powdered sugar. Guests can further enhance their pancakes by ordering them kabob-style or adding extras like ice cream or Dippin’ Dots.

Additional snacks include street corn cups, chocolate-covered strawberries, cheese fries, nachos, fruit cups and jumbo soft pretzels. To drink, the snack shop will serve coffee with a variety of syrups, hot cocoa, tea, shakes, smoothies and bottled beverages.

The new business is set to open in the 1,122-square-foot commercial space formerly occupied by The Coffee Bean. While no major renovations are planned, Cruz-Colon said she’s focused on sprucing up and modernizing the space to suit her concept.

“It’s going to have a lot of colors and a lot of light,” she said. “We’re giving it a nice, modern, fresh look.” She also plans to incorporate interactive elements, like a chalkboard wall and polaroid station, to create a fun and welcoming atmosphere for customers of all ages.

“I want it to be a place where the community gathers. I want people to feel like, ‘Oh yeah, I’m a part of this place too,'” she said. “That’s really my main goal—to create a space where everybody and anybody can come in and feel welcomed.”

A license application for Jr’s Treats is pending before the Milwaukee Common Council. If approved, the business’s proposed hours of operation are Tuesday through Sunday from 1 a.m. to midnight.

In the meantime, diners can follow Jr’s Treats online for updates or book a catering package featuring the brand’s mobile snack bar.

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